jobfacts

Taxation experts

SOC 2020 2423

Taxation experts advise on tax matters and assess tax liabilities.

Also calledTax adviserTax inspectorSenior tax professionalTax managerInvestigatorVat adviserand 28 more titles
Typical full-time pay£49,9002025 Provisional
People in the job45,000across the UK
Demand for workersCritical
New adverts a month2,000↑ 6.7%on last year · 89th of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025
What full-time taxation experts earn, 2025
£49,900 typical£30,300lowest 10%£37,40025%n/ptop 10%
n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less than£30,300
Lowest 20% earn less than£33,700
25%£37,400
Median£49,900
75%Not published
Top 20% earn more thanNot published
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Typical pay by regionUK median £49,900
West Midlands!£57,800
South East!£52,700
East Midlands!£49,300
East of England!£45,200
Wales!£34,800
North EastNot published by ONS–
North WestNot published by ONS–
Yorkshire and The HumberNot published by ONS–
LondonNot published by ONS–
South WestNot published by ONS–
ScotlandNot published by ONS–
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £49,900
West Midlands£57,800 (small sample)
South East£52,700 (small sample)
East Midlands£49,300 (small sample)
East of England£45,200 (small sample)
Wales£34,800 (small sample)
North EastNot published by ONS
North WestNot published by ONS
Yorkshire and The HumberNot published by ONS
LondonNot published by ONS
South WestNot published by ONS
ScotlandNot published by ONS
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £48,900
  • 2024 £49,500
  • 2025 Provisional£49,900
↑ 2% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 2,000 jobs for taxation experts are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as critical.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (2 in all)
Show as table
Aug 20262,330
Jul 20261,799
Jun 20262,168
May 20262,136
Apr 20261,880
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 2026Not published
Jan 20262,197
Dec 20251,409
Nov 20251,858
Oct 20252,236
Sept 20252,429
Aug 20252,209
Jul 20252,107
Jun 20252,031
May 20252,574
Apr 20251,763
Mar 20251,817
Feb 20252,104
Jan 20251,943
Dec 20241,381
Nov 20241,856
Oct 20241,576
Sept 20241,723
Aug 20241,688
Jul 20241,985
Jun 20241,678
May 20241,890
Apr 20242,446
Mar 20241,693
Feb 20241,715
Jan 20242,412
Dec 20231,872
Nov 20232,175
Oct 20232,111
Sept 20231,810
Aug 20231,815
Jul 20232,132
Jun 20232,572
May 20232,572
Apr 20232,836
Mar 20232,524
Feb 20232,480
Jan 20232,953
Dec 20222,414
Nov 20222,772
Oct 20223,152
Sept 20222,678
Aug 20222,353
Jul 20222,632
Jun 20222,439
May 20222,909
Apr 20222,052
Mar 20222,609
Feb 20222,585
Jan 20222,850
Dec 20212,161
Nov 20211,991
Oct 20212,100
Sept 20212,379
Aug 20212,246
Jul 20212,426
Jun 20212,069
May 20212,390
Apr 20211,844
Mar 20212,437
Feb 20211,723
Jan 20211,683
Dec 20201,293
Nov 20201,483
Oct 20201,646
Sept 20201,188
Aug 20201,098
Jul 20201,026
Jun 20201,079
May 20201,044
Apr 20201,734
Mar 20203,021
Feb 20202,874
Jan 20203,134
Dec 20192,220
Nov 20193,369
Oct 20192,799
Sept 20193,288
Aug 20193,160
Jul 20195,504
Jun 20193,867
May 20193,720
Apr 20192,500
Mar 20193,757
Feb 20193,171
Jan 20192,797
Dec 20181,989
Nov 20182,595
Oct 20182,439
Sept 20183,048
Aug 20182,267
Jul 20183,206
Jun 20183,029
May 20183,916
Apr 20182,736
Mar 20182,840
Feb 20182,393
Jan 20182,807
Dec 20172,014
Nov 20172,543
Oct 20172,838
Sept 20172,542
Aug 20172,380
Jul 20172,195
Jun 20172,937
May 20172,220
Apr 20172,051
Mar 20172,551
Feb 20172,100
Jan 20172,405
Is there a shortage of taxation experts?
Critical

The Department for Education rates demand as not high, elevated or critical, using five indicators. This is its 2025 assessment; in 2024 it was elevated.

  • Visas grantedAbove usual
  • Online job advertsWell above usual
  • Wage growthAbove usual
  • Pay against similar jobsUsual
  • Hours workedAbove usual
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
31%against 27% for all jobs
Broader groupFigure for finance professionals, which includes taxation experts. DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London1,478
Manchester399
Leeds272
Birmingham224
Glasgow City177
Bristol, City of165
City of Edinburgh137
Reading120
Newcastle upon Tyne97
Belfast89
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where taxation experts are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. 253 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026, most to people from India, United States, Netherlands, ranking it 61st of 313. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
Age of taxation experts
n/p
36%!
30%!
21%!
9%!
n/p
!Small sample: treat with cautionn/p: too few in the survey to publish
Show as table
16–24Not published
25–3436% (small sample)
35–4430% (small sample)
45–5421% (small sample)
55–649% (small sample)
65+Not published
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent80%
Higher education below degree–
Not published
A levels or equivalent!14%
GCSEs or equivalent!3.6%
No qualifications–
Not published
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent80%
Higher education below degreeNot published
A levels or equivalent14% (small sample)
GCSEs or equivalent3.6% (small sample)
No qualificationsNot published

Main employers: general public administration activities (34%), accounting, bookkeeping and auditing activities; tax consultancy (33%), other activities auxiliary to financial services, except insurance and pension funding (3.1%), security and commodity contracts brokerage (2.3%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
80%
as their highest qualification
Apprenticeships
None
none leads directly into this work

Routes in

Tax adviser

You can get into this job through:

University

You could take a degree followed by further professional training on a graduate scheme, to qualify.

Most subjects are acceptable though some employers may prefer you to have a degree in:

  • accountancy
  • accounting and finance
  • business and management
  • law
  • maths

Look out for work experience opportunities during your studies, such as:

  • insight days
  • internships
  • work placements
  • Easter and summer vacation schemes

These can give you an advantage when applying for jobs or graduate training schemes. Your university careers service can help you to find opportunities.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do an apprenticeship, such as:

  • Professional Accountancy or Taxation Technician Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship
  • Accountancy or Taxation Professional Level 7 Apprenticeship, which is equivalent to a postgraduate qualification
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

Other ways in

Work your way up

You could start as an assistant in an accounting department and apply for a position as a trainee tax adviser with the organisation.

Some professional services firms recruit school and college leavers with A levels, or equivalent qualifications, into trainee tax adviser roles.

While working, you could study for the Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification.

There are different ways to achieve this and your employer will help you to choose the best route for you.

Apply directly

You can apply directly to employers if you have relevant skills, experience and qualifications. For example, you might transfer to taxation from another profession like accountancy, finance or law.

Registration and professional bodies

Registration
  • you'll need to register as an 'approved person' by the Financial Conduct Authority
Further information

You can find out more about how to become a tax adviser from the Chartered Institute of Taxation and the Association of Taxation Technicians.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for tax adviser. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Tax inspector

You can get into this job through:

Apply directly

You'll need to apply for a place on HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) Tax Specialist Programme and have one of the following:

  • a degree in any subject, minimum second class
  • an equivalent award like a professional accountancy qualification

What you’ll need

  • meet the Civil Service nationality requirements

Registration and professional bodies

Further information

You can find out more about working in taxation from Civil Service Careers.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for tax inspector. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • examines accounts of industrial, commercial and other establishments to determine their tax liability and adjusts claims where necessary
  • considers particular problems concerning all forms of personal and company taxation
  • stays abreast of all changes in tax law and precedent
  • discusses disputed cases with accountants and other specialists
  • represents Government, client or employer in contested claims before tax officials or an independent tribunal

Skills

  • analyse financial performance of a company
  • attach accounting certificates to accounting transactions
  • calculate tax
  • check accounting records
  • draft accounting procedures
  • ensure compliance with accounting conventions
  • explain accounting records
  • follow the statutory obligations
  • identify accounting errors
  • interpret financial statements
  • manage accounts
  • perform balance sheet operations
  • prepare financial statements
  • prepare tax returns forms

Knowledge

  • accounting department processes
  • accounting entries
  • accounting techniques
  • bookkeeping regulations
  • commercial law
  • depreciation
  • financial department processes
  • financial statements

Suits people who like

  • Organising and following procedures
  • Leading and persuading

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for business, media and public service professionals, a group of 32 jobs that includes taxation experts.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↑ 26%about 670,000 more jobs
Workers needed by 20352.1 millionincluding people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

jobfacts is independent. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by the Office for National Statistics, the Department for Education, Skills England, the National Careers Service, the Home Office, the European Commission or the U.S. Department of Labor.